"It was a great time in my career, I learnt so much and thankful that the gaffer gave me the chance to go there and I had a great three-and-a-half years."

With Nathaniel Atkinson and Dylan Pierias away on Young Socceroos duty, de Laet is expected to slot into right-back and City's back four will have their work cut out stopping Victory's fluid attack of Ola Toivonen, Keisuke Honda, James Troisi and Kosta Barbarouses.

"I'm looking forward to the game as a whole, the boys have been talking about the derby, it's a big occasion but its one game at a time, regardless of who the opposition is,'' De Laet said.